Chapter 107: The Last Freedom

  Luó Mǐn looked at the crowd who had already cut their hair and nodded, "This is what soldiers look like. Everyone, form up and head back to the classroom."

  "Today, apart from giving everyone a haircut, the main purpose is still to prepare for tomorrow's military training." Luo Min said as she stood on the podium after returning to the classroom.

  The people below listened, and tomorrow they will start military training. There are all kinds of reactions, some fear, some worry, but more is curiosity. After all, most of them come with a yearning for the army, and there is still some expectation for regular military training that has never been in contact before.

  But to many people, military training is limited to high school days, playing and fooling around, just getting by, and instead treating it as a game.

  "I know some of you may not take military training seriously, thinking it's no different from high school or local university military training, just playing around and getting by. But the military training here is not what you think it is. This is all the subjects we will be covering during military training, basically everything new recruits need to learn, you will all have." Luo Min said, holding up a stack of papers and letting the students in the front row distribute them to everyone's hands.

  Ji Xin'an took over the paper full of words, from simple standing at attention, walking in step to 400-meter hurdles, 5-kilometer cross-country, even shooting and military boxing were included, and other details were not limited to that, it was really comprehensive.

  "Every item on this list will be assessed three months later, and anyone who fails to meet the standards will be dismissed. Military school is a place where elites are trained, you are all future officers in the troops, so it's not just about achieving excellent grades, we also require the best performance in military training. This is how you can set an example for your soldiers. I hope you all take this military training seriously and don't have any fluke mentality." Luo Min saw that everyone's face had lost their previous relaxation, but she still didn't let them off, at least wanting to make them understand the importance of this matter.

  "Does the instructor have anything else to add?" Luo Min said and then looked at Pang Kai beside him.

  "Maybe you guys are afraid after hearing Captain Luo's words, but don't worry too much. The school trains you to make you better, not to raise the bar so high that you can't become officers. So just do what the instructors say, and I think with your excellence, you can all become formal military academy students. And finally, I want to repeat Captain Luo's words: I hope that after three months of military training, everyone sitting here today will still be able to sit here. Do you have confidence?" Pang Kai asked loudly.

  "Yes." A loud and clear response echoed back, although it wasn't exactly in unison.

  Seeing the atmosphere being mobilized by his few words, Luo Min secretly admired him. No wonder the school sent him to partner with himself. Indeed, there were some things on him that he didn't possess.

  "Everyone has confidence, which is a good thing, but I also hope that everyone will put their words into action. In addition, because the instructor and I are not in charge of training during the military training period, I want to appoint two temporary class leaders to manage and assist students during this time." Luo Min explained.

  "Zou Ze, you will be the temporary class leader for the boys during military training." Luo Min had carefully studied the files of all students in the class and this decision was also made after discussion with Pang Kai.

  "Me?" Zou Ze stood up instinctively when he heard his name, but after hearing what she said next, he was stunned. "Captain Luo, you mean I'm to be the class monitor?"

  "It's you, but this is only temporary. After three months, everyone will be familiar with each other and the class leader will be elected by the students themselves. Whether you can continue to hold the position depends on your own abilities. However, we hope you can continue to take on this role and not disappoint me and the instructor's expectations." Luo Min saw that he had some doubts about her order, and she was a bit unhappy in her heart, but considering that he was also a new student, she didn't argue with him.

  "But I think I'm not up to the task now, or would you choose someone else?" Zou Ze originally didn't have any purpose in joining the army, and he hadn't even thought about how he was going to live his life after coming here. Now, the captain suddenly wants him to be the squad leader, but he can't even take care of himself, let alone others. Moreover, since being a class leader in junior high school, he had realized that being a leader is not only unappreciated but also often subjected to pressure from all sides.

  "This is an order, you must obey." Luo Min didn't say anything else, and gave him a cold glance.

  Zou Ze saw that things had come to this, and could only do so. Unexpectedly, he had just arrived at the military school, and his natural liking for freedom made him take on the role of class leader again. Not to mention being restricted, but also having to bear responsibility.

  "Lu Jia-yi, you'll be taking over as the temporary class leader for the girls' class." Luo Min said, looking towards the girls' team. Although there were only seven of them, it didn't mean they were easier to manage than the boys, so she looked at Lu Jia-yi with concern.

  "Report." Luo Jia Yi stood up with a expressionless face, and everyone looked at her, wondering what had happened again.

  "Speak." Luo Min raised her head to see what else she had to say, thinking that this group of freshmen was too much trouble.

  "I don't want to be the class monitor." Luo Jia-yi was even more direct, and her one sentence made everyone in the class stunned. If Zou Ze's refusal just now was considered tactful, then her refusal was truly not giving the team leader any face.

  "I'm saying it again, this is an order that must be obeyed." Lu Min's face didn't look good, two of the class leaders she had personally appointed had successively refused her, and she was already on the verge of anger.

  Pang Kai saw the atmosphere was a bit awkward, so he quickly came out to mediate, "Alright, you two are the decision made by me and Captain Luo after careful consideration. As soldiers, obeying orders is our duty. Since we've decided to let you be the class leaders, I hope not only will you take on this role, but also do it well. In the next three months, not only must you do a good job yourself, but also lead and help others in the class to do their best. I hope neither of you will disappoint everyone."

  The two of them listened and didn't say anything else, helplessly accepting this matter.

  Lu Minqiang suppressed the urge to curse, "Alright, it's settled then. For the next three months, both of you will be in charge of military training for our class, regardless of whether they're male or female. As long as they're a member of our class, I don't want anyone falling behind." He looked at the two with an unpleasant expression.

  Pang Kai understood her temper and smiled indifferently.

  "Everyone go back and take a closer look at the form in your hands, be mentally prepared. Also, this afternoon you can have free activities, which is the last free activity time for you in military school, I think you will cherish it well. That's all I want to say, do you have any other questions?" Pang Kai smiled and looked at the young faces below.

  Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.

  "Now that everything is fine, disperse and go about your own activities." Pang Kai waved his hand and left with Luo Min, carrying their personal belongings.

  The team leader and instructor have left, especially after hearing the instructor's previous words, the noise in the classroom is getting louder.

  "There's only half a day left, and tomorrow I'll really have to live a life of fire and water." Lu Ziyuan stared at the paper with a bitter face, thinking about how painful the next three months would be.

  "Ziyan, have you heard a little story? It says that when there's still half a cup of water left on the table, pessimistic people think, 'Oh no, only half a cup of water is left. Once it's gone, what will we do?' But optimistic people think, 'Wow, there's still half a cup of water! Looks like we won't be thirsty today.' " Ji Xin'an said with a smile as she looked at them.

  "Yeah, since we're already in military school, we should have been prepared to suffer early on. Today, we can still be free for a day, it's not a waste of time." Lu Ziyuan suddenly understood Ji Xin'an's meaning and immediately became spirited.

  "Just thinking about it makes me feel much better." Yan Tingting also smiled and said, no matter what tomorrow is like, today is still free.

  "I think we should make the most of this half-day, to celebrate our reunion from all over the country. Let's go out for lunch at noon and I'll treat everyone, then take a good stroll around the city. When I came here, I rushed straight to school and didn't even have time to appreciate it." Lu Ziyuan looked at everyone with expectation.

  "Eating out is fine, but you treat us and it's settled. Let's just split the bill together." Xian Tingting thought this suggestion was good, but when Lu Ziyan said she wanted to treat them, she didn't think it was quite right. Although they were now dormitory classmates, they had only just met and didn't know each other well.

  "Don't be polite, this time I'll pay, next time you can pay back, it's all the same." Lu Ziyuan said casually, having been used to spending money since she was a child, her concept of money was simply to spend it.

  "Then let's just go to the cafeteria to eat, going out is a waste of money." Zhang Xiaoxue hesitated for a moment, they had all received their meal cards, if they went out to eat wouldn't they still have to spend money.

  "Of course, we have to go out, otherwise it would be a waste of this half-day free activity time. If we don't go today, we won't be able to go later." Yan Tingting heard Lu Ziyuan's words and felt that she was right, and there would be other chances in the future, so she didn't worry about it anymore.

  "Then let's go now." Lu Ziyuan saw that no one was opposed, and she was happy to leave. Now every second counts, wasting a single second means losing a second.

  "You guys go ahead, I won't be going." Luo Jia Yi stood up and was about to leave. In this kind of gathering, whether it was in junior high or high school, she had never participated before.

  "Don't go, Lu Jia-yi. You're the class leader now, you can't leave the group during the first collective activity." Lu Ziyan looked at her with some disappointment and unhappiness as she saw her wanting to leave.

  "Luo Jia Yi, let's go together. You see, there are only seven of us girls in the class. If you don't go, there will be even fewer people, and it won't be as much fun for everyone," said Yan Ting Ting, and the others nodded in agreement.

  Luo Jia-yi still had some hesitation, but Yan Ting-ting pulled her forward and said, "Alright, stop hesitating. As a soldier, one must act decisively."

  Ji Xin'an didn't oppose such gatherings either, and since everyone had gone, she naturally cooperated with them.

  Several people changed back into their casual clothes and had just gone downstairs when they saw Zou Ze, who had also changed his clothes, walking over.

  "It seems I've arrived just in time, are you guys going out?" Zou Ze smiled and greeted them, although they weren't familiar with each other, but everyone was from the same class and had already met before.

  "Shall we go out for dinner together, do you have something on?" The others all looked at Ji Xin'an with smiles but didn't say a word. Ji Xin'an shook her head and smiled, of course knowing what they were thinking in their hearts.

  "I was thinking of asking you out for dinner and then going out, but it seems I'm too late." Zou Ze helplessly spread his hands, thinking he had arrived quite quickly, but unexpectedly still missed the opportunity. He couldn't just follow along without being invited, after all.

  "Why don't you go find Yao Wenhuo or hang out with the guys in your class? It's just one afternoon, and you shouldn't be stuck in school either. After today, you won't have a chance to go out anymore." Ji Xin'an smiled as she watched him being silly.

  "That's all we can do." Zou Ze said helplessly.

  "It's not late at all, and we're more than happy to have you here, Zou Dabanjang. You guys think so too, right?" Lu Ziyuan saw that Ji Xin'an was about to chase him away, but she wasn't having it. Originally, there was little fun to be had, and now that someone had finally delivered himself to her doorstep, how could she just let him go so easily?

  "We have so many flowers here, but what's missing is a guardian of the flowers. I wonder if Director Zou would be willing to take on the role?" Yan Tingting stood beside Ji Xinan with a sly expression.

  "Of course, I'm more than happy." Zou Ze faced the teasing of the two people, not only did he not feel embarrassed, but instead agreed with a smile.

  Does this mean that Ji Xin'an still thinks of him as the little boy who would blush at his words, so how could he have become so thick-skinned?

  "Zou Ze, when did your face become so thick?" Ji Xin'an said softly to Zou Ze as they walked out together.

  "It's not because of you that I'm like this. If I didn't have a thick skin, how would I have the chance to spend my last day of freedom with you?" Zou Ze said nonchalantly.

  "It seems like being a class monitor is all about talking." Ji Xin'an teased.

  "What's with the class monitor thing, it's so annoying, maybe it's a lot of trouble, if you like it then give it to you?" As soon as Zou Ze heard her mention this, he immediately made a bitter face.

  "This is the arduous task entrusted to you by the Party and the people, you must do it well, if not done well, I will definitely represent the Party and the people to shoot you." Ji Xin'an said with a sly smile or rather a schadenfreude expression, although now against those who have no resistance, but still feel that one less thing is better than one more thing.

  "Hey, what are you two whispering about?" Lu Ziyuan's eyes were sharp and she immediately noticed the two of them walking at the back, not knowing what they were talking about.

  "There's something to be said about sharing with everyone and having a good laugh." One of the twins also smiled at them, it seems that gossip is a common disease among all people.

  "There's nothing that can't be said, I was telling An An, this first time we have dinner together should be on me, An An was just praising me, saying this idea is not bad." Zou Ze didn't feel embarrassed at all being exposed by them, instead he looked at them calmly, as if what they were saying was exactly the same.